IWC softball: Ward, Wheatley reap postseason honors

Senior third baseman Kate Ward (Baylis, Ill.) concluded a record-setting career at Iowa Wesleyan College as the Midwest Classic Conference and Region VII Player of the Year, it was announced Tuesday.

Ward was tabbed to the first team infield in both the MCC and Region VII for the second consecutive year. This is the second straight season she has been named Player of the Year in the conference.

IWC junior Courtney Wheatley (Regina, Saskatchewan) also was voted to the MCC first team as a pitcher.

Waldorf's Marisa Jensen was selected MCC Pitcher of the Year. William Penn's Mike Christner, who landed his team in the NAIA National Tournament, was named MCC Coach of the Year.

Ward was nothing short of sensational during her two seasons at IWC, rewriting the school's record books along the way. She leaves the program with four career school records: batting average (.443), slugging percentage (.902), on-base percentage (.545) and home runs (36) and six single-season records: slugging percentage (1.000, 2007), on-base percentage (.572, 2007), home runs (20, 2007), runs batted in (60, 2006), total bases (136, 2006) and walks (31, 2007).

"Kate is one of the best position players that I have ever coached," said IWC head coach Mike Hampton. "She has one of the best swings that I have ever seen. It is always a thrill for our team to see her come to the plate with or without runners in scoring position. It has been an honor to coach her the past two years as the (MCC) Player of the Year both years."

Ward, a second-year transfer from John Wood Community College, led the Tigers in nine offensive categories this season: batting average (.458), runs (45), doubles (11), home runs (20), RBIs (59), total bases (131), slugging percentage (1.000), walks (31) and on-base percentage (.572). She finished with 20 multi-hit games and 15 multi-RBI games this spring.

Ward ranked among the NAIA leaders in four statistical categories. She was third in slugging percentage, fourth in home runs per game (0.426), 10th in total bases per game (2.787) and 11th in RBIs per game (1.255).

Ward started in all 102 games she played at IWC. For her career, she batted .443 with 97 runs, 131 hits, 24 doubles, two triples, 39 home runs, 119 RBIs, 267 total bases and 61 walks.

Wheatley made her mark in the pitchers' circle this spring. She sported a 13-7 record and a team-low 2.68 earned run average in 22 appearances. Wheatley struck out 89 batters and allowed only 17 walks in 137 2/3 innings. She fired eight complete games and owned four of IWC's eight shutouts. Wheatley ranked 14th nationally in walks allowed per nine innings (1.11).

Wheatley is 27-11 with a 3.48 ERA over her first three seasons at IWC. She has 176 strikeouts and 52 walks in 279 1/3 innings in her collegiate career.

The Tigers finished 29-18 overall and placed third in the MCC race with a 16-8 mark this spring. IWC made its seventh regional tournament appearance in 11 years.